Jennifer Batten

Overview

musical style:

Jennifer Batten is a guitarist who first received word-of-mouth attention that eventually led guitar magazines to take notice of her highly original approach to the electric guitar. On Guitar Player Monthly's premier compilation CD, John Stix wrote, "It was Jennifer's version of John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" that was considered by her peers the "scariest and most requested cut on the disc."

At one point Batten was in six different bands playing many genres including rock, metal, fusion and funk. She was selected from over 100 guitarists to play in Michael Jackson's band on his one and a half year world tour. She played for a total of 4.5 million people on Jackson's first solo tour, the Bad Tour. In the following years she joined Michael on his "Dangerous Tour" as well as 1997's "HIStory Tour", traveling to such countries as South Africa and India. She also joined him in Super Bowl XXVII's half time entertainment which aired to the largest audience in television history (1.5 billion).

Following 1989's "Bad Tour" grand finale, she started work on her debut album with renowned producer (ex-Stevie Wonder guitarist) Michael Sembello (Sembello also wrote and performed the hit song "Maniac", which was featured in the soundtrack for the film Flashdance). The results can be heard on "Above, Below, and Beyond". Her second solo record, "Jennifer Batten's Tribal Rage", was released in 1997 and is heavily influenced by world music. It sounds like a rich and moody travelogue through many cultures. In 1998 Jeff Beck asked Jennifer to join his band. She spent three years recording and touring in support of his albums Who Else!, and You Had It Coming. Tour dates included many dates with Sting.

Guest recordings include: Jeff Beck's "Who Else" and "You Had It Coming", Carmine Appice's "Guitar Zeus" (featuring Brian May), Michael Sembellos' "Heavy Weather" , Carl Anderson's "Sunlight Again", Cindy Cruz's debut, Public Image bassist Bret Helm's "Doc Tahri" and the debut of The Immigrants. Music video appearances include Jeff Beck, Michael Jackson, Natalie Cole and Sara Hickman. She was also featured in "Hot Guitarist's" video magazine.
Between 1994 and 1999 she also joined for a few eurobeat songs to Dave Rodgers and Domino; "Sun City", "Music For the People", "Fly" and "Woa Woa Woa" feature her guitars. However, though uncredited, her writing and performing skills appear in several other songs under the A-Beat C label. Live Eurobeat appearances are limited to playing at the Tokyo Dome with Dave Rodgers and Queen of Hearts.

She's also authored two music books and she is currently finishing work on her third solo album, Off The Deep End.